Accelerator control for motor vehicles



July 1 1, 1939. L E 1 2,165,897

AccBLERAToR conTRdL FOR MOTOR VEHICLES 7 Filed May 25, 1958 Patented July 11, 1 939 I PATENT, OFFICE ACCELERATOR com'noi. FOR MOTOR V moms Harold A. Liley, Detroit, Mich.

Application May 23, 1938, Serial No. 209,5521

11 Claims.

The present invention relates to an accelerator control for motor vehicles.

An objectof the invention is the provision of an accelerator control mechanism adapted to be associated with the usual accelerator pedal of a motor vehicle to limit the depression of the accelerator' and thereby control the speed of the vehicle. V

A further object is to provide an accelerator control mechanism, which may be adjusted relatlve to the foot accelerator whereby the maximum speed of the vehicle may be varied as desired. The present invention is particularly useful during long trips, since the driver, after setting the 15 control mechanism, may depress the accelerator to the desired maximum limit, and thereafter maintain the accelerator in this position without the necessity of constantly shifting the position.

comes necessary to momentarily increase the speed, such as when ascending a hill.

A still further object provides a quick release of the control mechanism to render the same inoperative in case of an emergency, or where it is desired to operate the accelerator in the usual 39 manner. Means are also employed to allow the control mechanism to be easily reset during operation of the vehicle, by merely depressing the accelerator to the desired position and then releasably locking it in this position.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will now he more fully described, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which: l

Figure 1 is a section through the floor board 49 of a motor vehicle showing the usual accelerator pedal and my control mechanism in operative position with respect to the accelerator.

Figure 2 is an enlarged front view, partly in section, of thestop member locked in operative 5 position.

Figure 3 is a section on line 33 of Figure 2, and t Figure 4 is airagmentary side view of the stop member.

Referring now to the drawir g, the numeral l0 designates the usual inclined floor board of a. motor vehicle to which is hinged the usual foot accelerator H in the customary manner, as at l2. A rod I3 is connected to the free end of the 55 accelerator and passes through the floor board where it connects in any desired manner to the throttle valve of the motor vehicle (not shown).

Referring to Figure 1, the accelerator control mechanism of the present invention is shown in operative position with respect to the foot ac- 6 celerator or pedal M. This control mechanism comprises a housing M secured to the under side of the floor hoard ill by any suitable means, such as the fastening elements it. The housing M is provided with a substantially circular well IE, the greater portion of which is located below the floor board at. The upper portion of the housing M constitutes a collar ll projecting through the floor board in alignment with the foot accelerator M.

A stopmelnher it is supported in the well it and is capable of longitudinal adjustment therein, as will he hereinafter described in detail. The stop member it comprises a tubular cylinder or casing l9 and a plunger ill longitudinally-movable in the cylinder. To the upper end oi the plunger it is secured a, mshaped bracket or yoke M within which is journaled a roller 22 positioned directly under the foot accelerator M and constltuting a stop for limiting the downward movement of the accelerator.

With the construction as thus far described, and assuming that the stop member 118 has been locked'in the desired position in the housing M, the foot accelerator ll may be depressed in the usual manner until it contacts the roller 22. Under ordinary conditions, when the accelerator is resting on the roller 22, the motor vehicle will be operating at its desired maximum speed, and assuming that it is desired to maintain this speed for a considerable period of time, it is merely necessary for the operator to maintain the accelerator in this fixed position without necessitating constant change or movement of the accelerator as is customary in the usual operation of a motor vehicle.

Under some circumstances, such as ascending a hill or in the case of an emergency, it may be necessaryto quickly increase the speed of the vehicle' over the desired maximum to whlch'the control mechanism has been set. This exlgency is taken care of by constructing the stop memher so that the plunger 20 may be moved with respect to the casing or cylinder 18 by a pronounced increase in pressure on the foot acceler- 5o ator. That is, after the accelerator H has contacted the roller 22, the plunger 28 and the accelerator H may be moved downwardly an additional predetermined distance by increasing the pressure of the foot upon the accelerator l i. This and quickly rendered inoperati e.

will normally urge the plunger 2| and roller 22 into their extreme raised positions. It is to be understood that the coil spring 26 is of sumclent strength to normally maintain the plunger in its raised position even under the slight pressure exerted by the accelerator pedal when it is depressed into contact with the roller 22 by the operators foot. In other words, the plunger 2. is adapted to be maintained in the position shown in Figure 2, even after the accelerator ii has come in contact with the same and is held in contacting relation therewith by normal foot pressure of the operator. However, when the loot pressure is substantially increased on the accelerator ii, the plunger 20 will be-moved downwardly against the tension of the spring 26 until the shoulder 21 on the plunger engages the upper end of the cylinder or casing i9. This additional distance to which the plunger 20 may be depressed is adapted to increase the speed of the vehicle sufllciently to take care of any emer-' gency which might necessitate a rapid or increased acceleration of the vehicle. Just as soon as the increased foot pressure is relieved on the accelerator, the spring 26 will return the plunger 2. to its raised position where it will again function as a stop for. normally limiting the downward movement of the foot accelerator.

In the event that it is desired to operate the foot accelerator ii in the usual manner without 'use of the control mechanism, means are provided whereby this mechanism may be easily This means comprises a locking lever 22 w on is pivotally connected, as at 22, upon a lateral extension 30 of the housing It (see Figures 2 and 3). The

3 lever 2| is provided with a substantially semicircular notch or recess Ii adjacent its inner end which registers with and is adapted to embrace the cylinder or casing is. The outerface oi the cylinder is provided with threads 22 throughout substantially the entire length or the cylinder and these are adapted to cooperate with like threads 32' formed in the'wall oi the recess ii, to positively lock the stop member in various positions of adjustment with respect to the accelerator ii. A leafspring 33 is mounted within the lateral portion 30 of the housing and normally urges the recessed portion 3! into engagement with the cylinder IS. The outer end of the lever 28 is preferably connected to one end of v a flexible wire 34 (see Figure 1). This wire extends through a flexible casing '35 and has its other endsecured to a hand pull or button 36,

9 preferably mounted on the dash 31 of the motor vehicle.

With this construction, when it is desired to render thecontrol mechanism inoperative, it is merely necessary to pull out on the button 36, which will have the eflect of swinging the lever 22 about its pivot 21 against the tension of the spring 32. This will release the lever 28 from thecylinder I! of the stop member and thereby permit uncontrolled operation of the accelerator. With the release of the stop member, it would ordinarily drop to the bottom of the well it of the housing. Means are provided,'however, to

. while the stop member may be depr raise the stop member and maintain it under slight spring pressure against the under side of cured .to the bracket 22. Referring to Figure 1,. it will be observed that the bracket 3! is super-' imposed upon the bracket i2 01' the foot accelerator and that a common fastening element is employed to secure both brackets to 'the floor board it. I have illustrated this fastening-means as a bolt 42 passing through aligned openings in the bracket and floor board, and a nut 4! threaded on the end or the nut beneath the floor board. However, any other suitable fastening means may be provided as desired.

It will be apparent that as soon as the locking" lever 28 releases the stop member II, the spring 4i will raise the latter and urge it into engagement with the under side of the foot accelerator ii. It is to be understood that the locking lever 28 may be released, not only when it is desired to operate the foot accelerator independently of the control mechanism, but also when it is dc sired to reset the stop member to effect a change in the maximum speed limit of the vehicle. When it is desired to reset the stop member, and assuming that the locking lever 22 is still in released position, it is merely necessary to depress the foot accelerator and stop member against the tension of the spring ll until the desired position of. adjustment has been attained. With the accelerator maintained in this position by the foot of the operator, the handle 36 may be released, whereupon the spring 22 will move the lever 28 into locking engagement with the cylinder l9.

It will be observed that when the foot accelerator has been depressed to the point where it contacts with the roller 22, any further downward movement of the 'foot accelerator will be against the combined tension of springs'26 and 4|. Thus, by the accelerator pedal to provide an incr it will be appreciated that the necessary pressure to produce this further depression of the accelerator will be quite pronounced. That is, the pressure necessary to move the acceler tor into con: tact with the roller 22 will be considerably less than that necessary to move the stop memher to the point where the collar 21 engages the upper end of the cylinder i9. It is to be understood, however, that while this additional pressure is considerably greater than that required to move the accelerator to the roller 22, it is not suiilcient to cause. any great exertion or inconvenience on the part of the operator when it is necessary to quickly accelerate the speed of the vehicle. It is to be further understood that, while the present invention may be used without the roller 22, the latter constitutes one of the preferred elements of this construction. Withoutthe roller, there would be a tendency for the foot accelerator to bind on the top of the plunger 22 when foot pressure is applied to the accelerator. This objectionable feature is, however, eliminated by use of the roller 22 since the foot accelerator, after it comes into contact with the roller, will ride on the latter when the plunger is depressed. Furv thermore, such variations from in speed,

the construction 1|;-

herein shown and described, as are within the skill of a mechanic, may, of course, be made without departing from the range of my invention.

I claim:

1. A'foot accelerator control'device comprising a stop member normally positioned in the path of movement of but out of control with the accelerator and adapted to. engage the latter when the accelerator is depressed a predetermined amount, means associated with said stop member for allowing the accelerator to be depressed an additional predetermined amount after its engagement with said stop member, and means for rendering said stop member inoperative.

2. A foot accelerator control device comprising a stop member adapted to be positioned in the path of movement of the accelerator and adapted to engage the latter when the accelerator is depressed a predetermined amount, means associated with said stop member for allowing the accelerator to be depressed an additional predetermined amount aite'r its engagement with said stop member, means for adujstably locking the stop member in operative position with respect to the accelerator, and means for releasing the locking means to render the stop member inoperative.

3. A foot accelerator control device for motor vehicles comprising a. stop member including a, casing, a plunger movably mounted in the easing and having a portion thereof projecting upwardly from the casing, a roller mounted on the upper end of said plunger exteriorly of said casing and located in the path of movement of the accelerator and adapted to engage the latter when the accelerator is depressed a predetermined amount to supply-fuel to the vehicle, and means associated with said casing and plungerior allowing the latter to be moved within certain limits within the casing by the accelerator, whereby the accelerator is capable of further depression after engagement with the roller to increase the supply of fuel.

i. A foot accelerator control device comprising a stop member including a casing, a plunger movably mounted in the casing and having a portion thereof projecting from the casing in the path of movement of the accelerator and adapted to engage the latter when the accelerator is depressed a predetermined amount, said casing having an interior aperturecl web, said plunger having a reducedportion extending through the apertured web and having a head on its free end, and a coil spring surrounding the reduced portion of the plunger and normally maintaining the head against the web, whereby further depression of the accelerator is permitted after engagement of the latter with the plunger.

5. A toot accelerator control device comprising a stop member adapted to be positioned in the path of movement of the accelerator and adapted to engage the latter when the accelerator is depressed a predetermined amount, a housing within whichthe stop member. is movably mounted,

means for adjustably locking the stop member in the housing whereby said member may be adjusted relative to the accelerator to limit actuation thereof, and means for rendering the locking means inoperative.

6. A foot accelerator control device comprising a stop member adapted to be positioned in the path' of movement of the accelerator and adapted to engage the latter when the accelerator is depressed a predetermined amount, a housing within which the stop member is movably mounted, means for adjustably looking the stop member in the housing, and means adapted to urge the stop member into engagement with the accelerator when the lockingmeans is rendered inoperative.

7. A foot accelerator control device comprising a stop member adapted to be positioned in the path of movement of the accelerator and adapted to engage the latter when the accelerator is de-- pressed a predetermined amount, a housing with in which the stop member is adjustably mounted, a locking lever pivotally mounted in the housing and having a recessed portion engageable with the stop member i or maintaining the latter in dif:- ferent positions of adjustment, a spring carried-by the housing for normally urging the lever into engagement with the stop member, said locking her mounted on the foot board beneath the accelerator and engageable with the accelerator when the latter is depressed a predetermined amount, means for locking the stop member in diiierent positions of adjustment relative to the accelerator, means for rendering the locmng means inoperative, and means for moving the stop member into engagement with. the accelerator when the locking means is rendered inoperative.

9. In combination, a foot accelerator pivotally mounted on the foot board of a motor vehicle, a stop member mounted on the foot board beneath the accelerator and engageable with the accelerator when the latter is depressed a predetermined amount, means for locking the stop member in difierent positions of adjustment relative to the accelerator, means for rendering the locking means inoperative, and a spring actuated plate mounted on the foot board and 'engageable with the stop member to move the latter into engage ment with the accelerator when the locking means is rendered inoperative.

10. In combination, a foot accelerator, pivotally mounted on the foot board of a motor vehicle, a stop member mounted on the foot'board beneath the accelerator and engageable with. the accelerator when the latter is depressed a predetermined amount, means for locking the stop member in diiferent positions of adjustment relainto engagement with the accelerator when the locking means is rendered inoperative.

11. In combination, an elongated foot accelerator having one end thereof pivotally mounted on the foot board of a motor vehicle, a stop member including a casing mounted on the foot board and a plunger movably mounted in the casing, said casing and plunger being entirely within the confines of the foot accelerator, and the plunger having a portion thereof projecting upwardly beneath the accelerator, and means associated with said casing and plunger for allowing the latter to be moved within certain limits within the casing by the'accelerator, whereby the accelerator is capable of further depression after engagement with the plunger to increase the supply of fuel.

HAROLD A. LILEY. 

